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20 April 1880 — Constantinople | |
Tuesday. 20th [April 1880]. At 2 oclock Henry & I & Mme Mantilla started to go to the Palace, Sir Alfred & Mr Oliphant followed in another carriage. We were recd by the Sultan abt 3—in one of the 1st floor rooms & first the gentlemen & then us two ladies after a few words H.M. led us out into the garden & we walked all over the grounds for 2 or 3 hours & went over the Sultans favorite ricketty bridge. He first sent over poor old Hamdi Bey & then made some one jump on the bridge to make it rock. Hamdi laid down simply on his nose—the Sultan took me by the hand to lead me over– We walked a long way in the grounds & got round to the stables & H.M. had some of his best horses brought out & ridden round a new open air manège he has had made. We stood at the top to see it & it would have been very nice had it not been for the dust wh was blown in our faces by a heavy wind– He then took us back to the kiosque where we had to partake of a cold luncheon in the same way as the last time we went there—I sitting next H.M. who helped me himself from the dishes—then Mme Mantilla, Henry—Sand. & Oliphant. Afterwards we sat while the men smoked & talked & then at 6.30 we took our leave. When just outside the door I got hold of Sir Alfred & dragged him back to the Sultan & apologising for my temerity I begged him to recall our friend Saïd P. from Aleppo as he was ill & wd die there. I said I knew nothing of politics or the reasons he was at Aleppo but I was fond of the poor man & hence my motive for daring so far. His M. was very kind & promised to lose no time in recalling him. Of course I was well chaffed by the others when I joined them to return home. We got in just in time for dinner with little or no appetites. | |
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